Living in California, I want to hate the guy, but he has these moments of clarity. He doesn't seem to think that government operates for his benefit alone. I disagree with his alignment with some traditional Democrat values, but I think he has his own kind of integrity.

"As Brown campaigned in various primary states, he would eventually expand his platform beyond a policy of strict campaign finance reform. Although he would focus on a variety of issues throughout the campaign, most especially his endorsement of living wage laws and his opposition to free trade agreements such as North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), he mostly concentrated on his tax policy, which had been created specifically for him by Arthur Laffer, the famous supporter of supply-side economics who created the Laffer curve. This plan, which called for the replacement of the progressive income tax with a flat tax and a value added tax, both at a fixed 13% rate, was decried by his opponents as regressive. Nevertheless, it was endorsed by The New York Times, The New Republic, and Forbes, and its raising of taxes on corporations and elimination of various loopholes which tended to favor the very wealthy, proved to be popular with voters."

I heard Brown on the Savage radio show many months before the CA election. There was a lot of common ground between the two.

They did also have points of disagreement, but even those were surprisingly civil. Both of them had clearly stated reasons for their views. And, they had fully formed and intellectually sturdy philosophies that consistently undergirded their approaches to specific policy issues. I think that each of these guys recognized this thoughtfulness in the other, and that recognition resulted in an unexpected mutual respect, appreciation, and amiability.

I don't think most cons (unlike Savage) realize there are some ways in which they may sorta like Brown.

Jerry Brown, sadly enough, is more conservative and libertarian than Gov. Arnold.

He fought at first, but then totally capitulated over the last 5 years or so.

Brown really did start over by being a mayor and built some good experience and independence. I disagree with much of his politics still, but he's not just a rubber stamp.

He has used his veto pen in good ways.

Plus, California is in an absolutely terrible spot, so Brown really has nothing to lose by defying this legislature, which sounds like it's going to change a whole lot after the "nonpartisan" redistricting.

He could mean it for now (being a politician), but many of his constituents don't.

Maguro: Like other teabaggers, Brown is clearly against us if he's not for us. He's a fascist, Christianist hater of equality and justice which are clearly the only paths to human freedom. The institutions necessary to ensure this human freedom should be built and run by us brother-in-arms. We shall be free and happy forever.

Life long californian here (we sold the capital "C" for two bucks and a small jar of Snail Darter eggs).

Jerry Brown (former unofficial motto: "If it's Brown, flush it down!") is the single most interesting liberal/progressive at the state or national level. I will give him that.

However, he can never, ever be forgiven for having brought upon California the death curse of public employee unions.

Thanks to Brown (and the irony is supremely delicious right now) California government is of, by and for the public employee unions.

Thanks to Brown, Californians are fated to continue living under an ever-growing, ever-more hyper-expensive government whose primary, foundational function is redistribution of the wealth of non-public-employee Californians to public-employee-Californians and politicians and activists and bureaucrats.

Companies That Take The Wrong Amount of Money Out of Your Account Should Be Open and Fix IT Even on the Weekend

I bought a Honeowners policy from Geico 2 days ago and they took out 5 times the amount out of my account of the premium I approved. They admit on the phone this morning that it was a mistake on their part, but say they can't even start to correct it until Monday. In the meantime, I ma in the hole with first time overdraft fees of $300 (so far) and cannot buy groceries until Monday at the earliest. The girl says she's sorry that they made the mistake, but she doesn't have to cancel going to a wedding because her gas is limited and she and the rest of Geico get to eat this weekend.

THAT Human Problem deserves a law.

Thanks to you Warren Buffet the owner of Geico and the money you make off of people like me and then don't give a damn when you make a mistake and don't do anything about it until Monday.

Brown does have interesting ideas, from time to time. Just as we can pillory the left for failing to hear Palin, we need to listen for those occasions when our opposition has an idea.

Just think how short the Vietnam War would have been if we had understood it as a war of independence from a colonizing power, and that the Vietnamese and Chinese really, really hate each other?

Too many Establishment Republicans would object to a flat income tax because the current tax system favors graft and corruption. They will help Corporation J get a tax advantage over Corporation K. Thus the Establishment politicians, of both stripes, need tax loop-holes.

How about 2% income tax on the first $10,000 of income, going up 1% for every $10,000 of income to maxing out at 15%? Make corporate income tax the same. If it isn't worth a corporations time to hire people to avoid taxes, they will just pay their taxes. We would have corporations flooding into this country.

Question: If I was told I could withdraw $500 from a corporate account, but I took $2,500, would that be stealing? Could I be prosecuted? So, can I bring charges against a corporation of the reverse happened?

I suspect a DA would be unwilling to bring charges for (1) a first offense that might be (2) just stupidity.

This is the kind of story that On Your Side type local TV news reporters would love, especially if you don't get compensated for any monetary loss that is the fault of the Company's mistakes. I think a polite letter that points out that you lost money because of the Company's errors in a way that makes the Company look very very bad will do a lot. As in, who's gonna want to patronize such a firm?

You just can't cure stupid. Who told you to authorize 'them' to debit your account? Ever heard of writting a check? Paying with a credit card? Brown's right on his point you can't legislate everything and you prove his point.

I paid - like the majority of people, with a Visa tied to my checking account. I have never had a problem before.

I did nothing wrong or unwise. GEICO has alread admitted the error, but they don't give a flying f*** about what it is costing me this weekend and into the next week. They caused me harm and they don;t care.

I got hold of a college buddy who is now an assistant DA here in the county. He said it is definitely a potential criminal case. The main factor right now is to watch the speed with which they attempt to right this Monday morning. Any delay can be considered possible grounds for obstructing and aiding attempted theft.

He also said that it doesn't matter if it was "obvious" it would be discovered by me and they would have to restore it. If a criminal case ensues they will subpoena the recording of the conversation of the transaction and can ask for a wider subpoena to see if such "mistakes" occur with any regularity or pattern. He said he believes GEICO will make it right, but to call him Monday morning and let him know how it's going.

I'll bet if I was sitting next to Warren Buffet it would be taken care of today, huh?

Hey I was on your side until you revealed yourself as a complete asshole. You think calling me names hurts my feelings? To me you're just some anonymous dickwad trying to get sympathy by hijacking a thread. So FOESAD, asshole.

I took what was the theme and said that the law can make corproations be accountable in an area they should be.

They STOLE from me. They hurt me - I missed a wedding I was going to get paid for to sing in because I don't have gas money. I buy groceries on Saturday, Tyrone. And i need milk for the meds I take and I have been out since Thursday night.

You and your children can burn in hell for judging me, you child molesting, cocksucking worthless piece of human refuse..

A better idea is to simply eliminate corporate income and capital gains taxes and tax the shareholders on the pass through distribution (as income or capital gains).No substantial amount of resources devoted to maximizing tax avoidance, resources that could be used to further expand the business, capitalize the business and allocate capital in a more economically efficient manner.

US corporations have two trillion dollars in cash parked overseas earned from their foreign operations. The cost of repatriating the money is 35%. Why would any sane CEO/CFO ever repatriated the money back to the US under the current climate and face a lynching from the shareholders?

The rest of your proposal is interesting, I would rather tax everyone from dollar one at 15% with no deductions (other than the basic personal deduction) but give them a tax credit for the FICA taxes as an offset. The sooner the public understand that the FICA tax is just that, a tax and not an insurance premium, the better. Obama's payroll tax holidays are already starting starting to sink in to peoples minds as to the falsity of the insurance premium and lending credence to social security as a Ponzi scheme.

Brent you have proved my point. You are a complete and total moron. You paid with a debit card tied to your checking account. No doubt you are the kind of moron who gave the number to the operator on the phone, could not do it on the online website so you could KEY IN the correct amount. This is why you don't USE a debit card unless YOU enter the value yourself. And you are demonstrably stupid as you have not as yet disputed the charge. As for Friday to Monday, seriously no DA is ever going to mess with this as this is a civil matter, there is no credible criminal intent, and at best you might get your NSF fees covered plus a small hassle compensation if you ask nicely.

The real issue here is that you are an idiot and angry at the result of your stupidity but aren't man enough to accept responsibility for your stupidity and instead come here and rant and rave demanding their OUGHT TO BR A LAW to protect my from my idiocy. You must be J's dumber brother.

You were born stupid, are still stupid and will die stupid and you are too stupid to understand that. But that is your problem not the rest of the world's problem.

I actually voted for Brown in 1974, before leaving the state. He is an interesting pol..I heard recently that he wanted to pull the plug on all those community development boondoggles. Jesus we got those everywhere now, and the locals tout them like it was something really new and innovative.

With five aging Justices, the chances are that he will have an opporunity to stack the CA Supreme Court again.

To be fair, while Mayor of Oakland Brown created two very good charter schools that he still supports financially. Given that Oakland Unified had to be taken over by the state and is among the worst school districts in the nation, that's to his credit.

"I paid - like the majority of people, with a Visa tied to my checking account."

So, am I mistaken, or do you mean you paid via a debit card transaction?

If so, this is just another reason NOT to have or use debit cards...I sure don't. When my bank sent me a renewal ATM card some years back and I realized it was a debit card, I contacted them and told them I didn't want it...I wanted a plain old ATM card. They provided me one and I shredded the debit card.

Listen, folks: with a credit card, assuming one loses it or it is stolen, the worst that can happen is that someone can run up charges on your account...no money is immediately taken from you. You may dispute the phony charges. With debit cards, vendors or unauthorized users have direct access to the cash in your bank account. It can be sucked away like the last fluid ounces of beverage in a BIG GULP cup.

Gov. Arnold didn't have the breath of vision to be governor. Or perhaps even the intelligence. Once before he entered politics I heard him speak at a libertarian dinner honoring Michael Milken. I thought he was reading his speech off the back of a cereal box, except cereal boxes have more depth.

He was an alpha male who spoke utter banalities with complete self-assurance. But he had great social skills and in person could be utterly charming in his manly way.

All of the below( underneath) proves beyond a shadow of a doubt and to a metaphysical certainty the Brent is J. A complete and total waste of a life and irredeemably stupid. When Robert Cook who normally is nearly nuts in his political rants is absolutely sane, sober and correct in his comment about debit cards then you know you are dealing with a whole another level of crazy that only J is known to inhabit. Proof enough for a capital crimes conviction. RC no offense intended. We disagree completely politically but I am not at all implying that your feet are not planted firmly on planet sanity when it comes to matters of daily living.

" Brent said...Go fuck your children Tyrone- they miss your cock.

9/10/11 3:27 PM

cubanbob you are an asshole. But you already know that.

9/10/11 3:14 PM Unknown said...cubanbob - I bought a new policy over the phone that I needed that day.

There was nothing stupid about that.

You are an asshole who will die an asshole and you will burn eternally in the blackness of darkness forever.

Please come to where I live and bring your friends so you can stand up for your comments. You chosse the first attack and so to defend my honor email me and I will tell you when and where.

You are a pussy who did a driveby and you don't have the balls to stand up to what you said cubanbob.

I do. I;m calling you out bitch boy.

Everyone now knows you have no balls Bob.Call me. We'll make this right between us.

9/10/11 3:50 PM Brent said...I DID NOT hijack a thread, you piece of worthless shit.

I took what was the theme and said that the law can make corproations be accountable in an area they should be.

They STOLE from me. They hurt me - I missed a wedding I was going to get paid for to sing in because I don't have gas money. I buy groceries on Saturday, Tyrone. And i need milk for the meds I take and I have been out since Thursday night.

You and your children can burn in hell for judging me, you child molesting, cocksucking worthless piece of human refuse..

Saint Croix said...Brown is one of those liberals who has always been a free thinker. Makes him far more interesting than the typical progressive.

Brown had a blog while he was mayor of Oakland. It was very interesting; he was very interesting. Too bad he sucks at governing; he should have gone into something else. I believe at one time he considered the priesthood. He would have made a good Jesuit.

Milwaukee: How about 2% income tax on the first $10,000 of income, going up 1% for every $10,000 of income to maxing out at 15%? Make corporate income tax the same.

I have never the understood the logic of making (American based) corporations pay taxes on income, given that they invariably just raise the price of what they sell and we end up playing anyway.

What's wrong with a company making a lot of money? Sooner or later they have to do something with it, such as pay salaries or invest it in something. Eventually the money ends up in an actual person's bank account. Once that happens we can tax it to our heart's content (or liberals can anyway).